How to Create an Outdoor Water Fountain

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A water fountain adds charm to most any setting. Whether used as the focal point in a formal garden or as a whimsical addition to a casual gathering space, an outdoor water fountain is sure to please visitors of all ages. Although there is a wide variety of ready-made outdoor water fountains available for purchase, a much more meaningful and enjoyable feature can be made from an item with sentimental value such as a hand water pump from the family farm or Grandpa’s old whiskey barrel.

To make an outdoor water fountain, the following items are needed:

• Piece that will form the basis of the water feature;
• Water source, which can be as simple as a garden hose;
• Reservoir of adequate size;
• Re-circulating pump with ample tubing and a power source; and,
• Desired supplemental decor such as plants and rocks.

Create the water fountain by positioning the main feature so that water will flow over or through it and into the reservoir. Place the pump within the reservoir and arrange the tubing to circulate the water. Once all adjustments have been made so that the water is flowing as desired, add plants, rocks and other decor in and around the fountain as the finishing touches.

Maintain the outdoor water fountain, as needed. Drain and clean the reservoir, pump and tubing at least twice each season and ensure that the working components are put into storage prior to the first freeze each fall. With proper care, an outdoor water fountain will provide years of enjoyment.

Originally from: How to create water fountain

Water Treatment Systems – Types and Uses

Many types of treatment systems are available to address a variety of water issues. Some treatments deal with hard water only while others actually purify contaminated water to make it safe for human consumption. Following are some common water treatment methods and the problems that they correct.

[photo by: darkpatator]

Water Conditioners – Addresses hard water only. Prevents lime scale without adversely affecting the drinkability of the water. Improves the efficiency of soaps. Improves heating efficiency and extends the life of appliances that use water. Water conditioning systems, such as ScaleWatcher, are inexpensive to own and operate.

Water Softeners – Also prevents lime scale but water may not be suitable for drinking. Water softening systems are expensive to own and operate, and cumbersome to maintain.

Activated Carbon (AC) Water Filters – Removes organic contaminants and chlorine but does not filter out microbes or soften water. May remove heavy metals, depending on the system.

Ultraviolet (UV) Water Filters – Kills but does not remove most bacteria and viruses. Also does not remove other contaminants.

Water Distiller – Produces nearly pure water but at an extremely slow rate and high running cost.

Reverse Osmosis – Removes salts and mineral as well as other causes of unhealthy or unappealing water. Most of the water that enters the system is wasted, however, and the storage unit must be disinfected regularly to prevent bacterial growth.

The appropriate type of water treatment depends upon the type of problem to be corrected. To purify water for drinking, a combination of methods may be required. To treat simple hard water, however, a water conditioner is usually all that is needed.

Water Softeners Are Necessary For Health Today

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When is water considered hard? and when is it considered soft? Technically when water possesses too much concentration of calcium and magnesium it is called hard water. If and when calcium and magnesium dissolves the degree of the water's hardness increases. Hard water needs to be softened as they clog pipes and dissolves soap less easily. To treat hard water it goes through a process called water softening where in water would pass through a bed of resin wherein an exchange of positively and negatively charged ions occurs. The process of water softening is facilitated through the use of water softener, a unit designed to remove the chemicals that make the water hard.

Water softeners are classified into five categories: manual; semi-automatic; automatic; demand initiated regeneration (DIR); and off-site regeneration. Manual Water Softeners has its own set of variations but all of them need the operator to open and close the valves to control, rate and time length of back flushing and to control the frequency. Semi-automatic water softeners would only require the operator to push the button and the machine will control and complete the recharging process. Automatic softener are the most common softeners being used, the unit is equipped with a timer that initiates the recharging and all the steps in the process. All the operator has to do is add salt and set the timer. Demand initiated regeneration functions and automatically responds to the demand for soft water. It has two softening tanks and one brine tank, when one is softening the other tank is recharging.

Like every other technology, the use of water softeners does have its own advantages and disadvantages. Let us begin with the advantages; the use of softeners prolong the life span of appliances including washing machine, dishwasher and water heater; using softened water in washing clothes results in a softer feeling clothes; using softeners results in the reduction of water spotting. However the use of softened water in watering house plants, gardens and lawns is not advisable because softened water has strong sodium content; there could be possible health risks from the intake of sodium laden water; and it is not recommended for use in evaporative coolers and steam irons.

What most people would like to know is how long these water softeners would last, given the amount the buyer would spend; the unit has to be of top quality. With proper care and maintenance water softeners could very well last for a couple of years.

By: Tai Pham

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Isopure Water specializes in reverse osmosis and other drinking water filtration equipment since 2005. We also have an expertise in specialty media filtration when dealing with harsh water conditions such as water hardness, high iron or hydrogen sulfide levels, and aquarium water purification.

Advantages Of Using Water Conditioner

Tap water is sometimes called hard water. This is due to the high concentrations of contaminants and minerals in the water. A water conditioner works by changing the process of crystallization of calcium and magnesium. This changes the charge of the mineral molecules present in the water. These hard mineral molecules will then “stick” less to things it comes in contact with. This prevents mineral build up in your pipes, faucets and bath fixtures. The following are more advantages that you can get when you use a water conditioner in your house.

The benefits of having a water conditioner will not immediately show up as soon as you are done with the installation of the device. Factors that can affect the efficiency of this device are:
• Quantity of water stored – Houses with water tanks has a tendency to accumulate more of the mineral contaminants. This will take more time to soften the hard water.
• Degree of mineral saturation – The amount of water contaminants can also be a factor. It will naturally take longer to soften the water if there are many minerals present in it.
• Water consumption – The amount of consumed water will also affect the speed of the softening of your tap water. More water consumed means more water that needs to pass through the water conditioner.
• Severity of a lime scale buildup – Limescale buildup is the result of ignored water use. The more limescale present in the pipeline, the harder it will be to clean it.
In general, the benefits such as conditioners and shampoos will rinse easily, cleaning with water will be more effective and washing machines will need less soaps and detergents. This will be noticed immediately after 1 to 4 weeks after the installation of the device. In addition, your hair and skin will feel softer and healthier during this time.

Just after 4 weeks, the limescale build up present in your pipeline and faucets will begin to loosen. This will make them easier to remove with just scrubbing. Furthermore, it will also prevent the further accumulation of limescale. This will then lead to an increase in the water flow.

In the long term, this device can help prolong the life expectancy of your water appliances. It will also reduce the maintenance cost of home appliances that utilize water in its functions. The water from the faucet itself will be milder enough to be used on the skin of babies. The water conditioner can also save you money from the fuel cost of water heating appliances. In addition, since you are going to be using less water in your cleaning activities, you can also save up on water consumption.

With these many advantages, it advisable that you start installing your own water conditioner. It can lessen your expenses and help create a naturally healthy water for your family. Most people think that this is just an extra expense. However, this device is in fact a good investment that will do you good in the future.

By: Julia Jamie

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Matt Monroy is the author of this article on Water Conditioner. Find more information about Electric Water Softener here.